Vital Signs Vital Signs Why do vital signs? Determine relative status of vital organs Establish baseline Monitor response to Rx, meds Observe trends Determine need for further evaluation, Rx, intervention 2 Vital Signs 4 classic vital signs (VS) Temperature (T) Pulse (P) Respiratory rate (RR, f) Blood pressure (BP) 3
Vital Signs Also important are SpO2 Height Weight Level of consciousness (LOC) Sensorium 4 Vital Signs Standard vital sign package usually also include IV, A-line catheter insertion sites traumatic or surgical wounds extremity checks 5 Vital Signs Frequency depends on condition of patient severity of disorder procedures, therapies being performed At minimum Can be q4, q2, q30, q15 6
Vital Signs Single measurement gives info at that time compare to normal 7 Serial measurements allow for trending far more important than any single measurement always compare a measurement to previous measurements correlate to other subjective and objective data recorded on a multiple day graph Vital Signs Comparison of multiple signs & symptoms to arrive at Dx is called differential diagnosis Takes time to learn knowledge first, than ability to assess & compare subjective & objective data over time to ID patterns Key is to be constantly aware & to look for change look listen touch reassess and analyze trend, trend, trend 8 Height & Weight 9 Routinely measured on admission, every day or so May also record daily I & O until weight is stable Weight used to calculate medication dosages May be weighed in kilograms Kg =
10 Sensorium (LOC) Simple but important To be awake, alert, conscious, well oriented, you must be getting adequate O2 to the brain Orient to time, place, person An alert, well-oriented patient is said to be 11 Sensorium (LOC) Abnormal sensorium & loss of consciousness may occur when cerebral perfusion is inadequate or when there is not enough O2 in the blood delivered to brain (hypoxemia) Initially, patient is restless, confused, disoriented progressing to comatose Can patient participate in their own care? May need to adjust Rx plan based on sensorium evaluation 12 Sensorium (LOC)
Temperature Normal body temp & is normally higher by 1-2 in late afternoon 13 Most metabolic functions perform best in Maintained by balancing heat prod with heat loss Temperature to lower temp 14 to raise or maintain temp Temperature - Fever If have fever from disease = 15 Most often results from infection somewhere in the body (esp. if temp > 102 ) Remember, not all patients with an infection develop fever
Temperature - Fever Fever increases metabolic rate with resulting increase in O2 consumption and CO2 production every 1 increase 16 increases must be met by increases in (characterized by elevated RR & P) Temperature - Hypothermia Body temp below normal Not common 17 Hypothalamus promotes shivering and peripheral vasoconstriction Temperature - Hypothermia Result of hypothermia: 18 RR may be slow and shallow with decreased HR
Temperature - Measurement Recorded in degrees Fahrenheit ( F) or degrees Celsius ( C) Normals vary with measurement site and method Most often measured at 1 of 4 sites rectal axillary oral tympanic temporal 19 Temperature - Rectal Accurate core temp, difficult to obtain For use when comatose, in ICU, confused 20 Average temp Requires at least 2 minutes for glass thermometer Not uncommon in ICU to use rectal probe Temperature - Axillary Safe for infants & small children Avoids injury to rectal tissues Neonates Adults Lower reading than oral or rectal Can take up to 11 minutes in adults and 5 minutes in kids Rarely done in adults 21
22 Temperature - Oral Most convenient and acceptable for awake adult patients Not used with infants, comatose patients, orally intubated patients Tip of thermometer must be in posterior sublingual pocket Alcohol thermometers require - Not affected by oxygen therapy 23 Temperature - Tympanic Uses a hand-held probe placed in ear canal to detect infrared emissions from the surface of the eardrum and ear canal No direct contact with tympanic membrane Takes less than Fast, clean, noninvasive Commonly used in If measured close to eardrum, temp is close to 24 Temperature - Temporal Called a temporal scanner Takes temperature with a light stroke across the forehead Based on infrared readings of Can be used for all patients, newborns through geriatrics Reads temp in seconds Proven more accurate than ear thermometers
Pulse Evaluated for rate, rhythm, strength Normal pulses vary with Adult: 60-100 beats/min (BPM) > 100 BPM = anxiety, fear, fever, low BP, anemia, hypoxemia, meds < 60 BPM = less common heart disease, meds, well-conditioned athletes 25 Pulse Amount of O2 delivered to the tissues depends on the ability of the heart to pump oxygenated blood cardiac output = volume of blood pumped per minute 26 Pulse When the O2 content of arterial blood falls below normal, the heart tries to compensate by increasing cardiac output to maintain adequate oxygen delivery to tissues HR is important to monitor in patients with lung disease 27
Measurement of Pulse Rate Radial artery is most common site for evaluation Patient s arm & wrist should be relaxed, below heart level Use pads of index & middle finger placed lightly over pulse point Compress until maximum pulsation felt Ideally - count for 1 minute to evaluate rate, rhythm & strength Other sites: brachial, femoral, carotid arteries 28 Pulse Rhythm & Pattern Rhythm should be regular vs. irregular If very irregular - may need to count with stethoscope placed over heart Volume of pulse = how strong pulse feels pulse should be easy to feel, not fading in & out normal, bounding, full, weak, thready, absent 29 Pulse Rhythm & Pattern Fullness of pulse can be decreased by 30 Spontaneous ventilation can influence strength of pulse if decreases with inhalation = pulsus paradoxus
31 Respiratory Rate Vary by age & condition of patient Normal adult = 12-20 breaths/min (BPM) > 20 BPM = exercise, fever, decreased arterial O2 content, metabolic acidosis, anxiety, pain < 12 BPM = uncommon head injuries, hypothermia, meds 32 Respiratory Rate Assess the pattern & depth of breathing hypopnea hyperpnea apnea periodic Also assess use of accessory muscles, presence of retractions, flaring nostrils, external sounds 33 Measurement of RR Count by watching rise and fall of abdomen or chest wall Never tell patient to breathe normally to count rate Better technique is to count HR for 30 sec. the count RR for 30 sec. while pretending to count HR
Blood Pressure BP = force exerted against arterial walls as blood moves through vessel Systolic = peak force during contraction of left ventricle normal = Diastolic = force against walls when heart is relaxed normal = Pulse pressure = systolic - diastolic 34 Blood Pressure BP determined by force of LV contraction peripheral resistance to blood flow blood volume 35 Sustained BP < 90/60 = peripheral vasodilation left ventricular failure hypovolemia perfusion of vital organs is significantly reduced Blood Pressure Sustained BP > 140/90 = increases risk of heart, vascular, renal disease most modifiable risk factor cause usually unknown, although the following may contribute genetics environment smoking weight stress level sleep apnea 36
Measurement of Blood Pressure Most common method uses a sphygmomanometer and stethoscope Measures BP indirectly by measuring the pressure required to collapse artery Made in different sizes to fit various sizes & ages of patient - selection of proper size is essential 37 Measurement of Blood Pressure Technique place cuff firmly around upper arm pump up cuff to a number greater than expected systolic pressure (~200 mmhg) - blood flow is occluded place stethoscope over brachial artery gradually release air from cuff while listening for heart tones (Karotkoff sounds) when blood flow begins, heart beat is heard = 38 listen for when sound of heart beat disappears (artery is without restriction to flow) = Measurement of Blood Pressure Normal for BP to drop slightly during inspiration If drops more than 10 mmhg systolic pulsus paradoxus inspiration (neg.press) enhances venous return, decreases LV outflow RV filling increases pushes on intraventricular septum reduced LV output reduced BP Occurs in restrictions around heart (cardiac tamponade, constrictive pericarditis), acute asthma 39